Happy 30th, Amy Lee of Evanescence; Six Reasons We Like You

While Evanescence and their lead singer, Amy Lee, continue to find mainstream success (their most recent album was number one on the charts when it was released in October), they are a band that is maligned in the same way as other polished heavy bands like Creed and Nickelback, though we aren't entirely certain why. No doubt goths despise the pseudo-style that Lee and bandmates put on display and their music is pretty poppy for a heavy band, but whatever. We figure there is room for everyone.

So, in honor of her big three-oh, we give a list of the six reasons we like Amy Lee. Happy birthday, girl!

6. Woman can sing.

People bitch that the only women in music are either the Mariah Carey wannabes like Christina Aguilera or pop tarts like Katy Perry and Ke$ha. It's why so many have welcomed Adele and Amy Winehouse with open arms. Lee is easily in their league. We're surprised she hasn't done any musicals given her pipes. We bet someone would love to stick her in Phantom of the Opera.

The first time we heard this song, we weren't that interested. It's a decent piano ballad, albeit disturbingly melodramatic (though, when Adele's "Someone Like You" was released, even Evanescence was like, "Um, too much, Adele."), but we yawned until the drums kicked in. It instantly transported us back to the '80s when a power ballad had balls. Too bad the single version was castrated and the metal removed.

4. She stopped working with Ben Moody.

The guy seemed like kind of a dick and has gone on to be Mr. American Idol working with Kelly Clarkson, Bo Bice and Chris Daughtry. He also worked with Lindsay Lohan and, God help us, Celine Dion. If Lee is thought of us a cheap version of real goth, what the hell is he?

3. Great hooks.

The world of music at the moment is replete with artists who value sound over song. The art of the great hook is something just not heard that often in rock music and the artists who do apply them liberally -- Coldplay, for example -- are often derided for their over simplicity. If writing great hooks was easy, everyone would do it. Lee does and that's a rarity.

2. She's a successful chick in a dude world.

In the world of pop and country, female singers (though not musicians so much) grow on trees. In rock music, however, the numbers are significantly smaller. Move into heavy music and you can count them on one hand. Saying the genre is dominated by men is like saying Ann Coulter is kinda conservative. Lee has thrived in this world and that deserves recognition.

1. She's hot.

It's probably really uncool to put this at number one right after all that empowering "you are woman, hear you roar" stuff in number two, but, as one friend of ours used to put it, "Truth be truth."

Jeff Balke is a writer, editor, photographer, tech expert and native Houstonian. He has written for a wide range of publications and co-authored the official 50th anniversary book for the Houston Rockets.